Defense against a rifle with a fixed bayonet involves the same principles as knife defense. The soldier considers the same angles of attack and the proper response for any attack along each angle.

a. Regardless of the type weapon used by the enemy, his attack will always be along one of the nine angles of attack at any one time. The soldier must get his entire body off the line of attack by moving to a safe position. A rifle with a fixed bayonet has two weapons: a knife at one end and a butt stock at the other end. The soldier will be safe as long as he is not in a position where he can be struck by either end during the attack.

b. Usually, he is in a more advantageous position if he moves inside the length of the weapon. He can then counterattack to gain control of the situation as soon as possible. The following counterattacks can be used as defenses against a rifle with a fixed bayonet; they also provide a good basis for training.

The defender waits until the last possible moment before moving so he is certain of the angle along which the attack is directed (Figure 5-20, Step 2). This way, the attacker cannot change his attack in response to movement by the defender.

When the defender is certain that the attack is committed along a specific angle (No. 1, in this case), he moves to the inside of the attacker and gouges his eyes (Figure 5-20, Step 2) while the other hand redirects and controls the weapon. He maintains control of the weapon and lunges his entire body weight into the eye gouge to drive the attacker backward and off balance. The defender now ends up with the weapon, and the attacker is in a poor recovery position (Figure 5-20, Step 3).

(2) Unarmed defense against No. 2 angle of attack. The attacker makes a diagonal slash along the No. 2 angle of attack (Figure 5-21, Step 1 ). Again, the defender waits until he is sure of the attack before moving.

The defender then moves to the outside of the attacker and counterattacks with a thumb jab into the right armpit (Figure 5-21, Step 2). He receives the momentum of the attacking weapon and controls it with his free hand.

He uses the attacker’s momentum against him by pulling the weapon in the direction it is going with one hand and pushing with his thumb of the other hand (Figure 5-21, Step 3 ). The attacker is completely off balance, and the defender can gain control of the weapon.

The defender turns and moves to the inside of the attacker; he then strikes with his thumb into the jugular notch (Figure 5-22, Step 2).

His entire body mass is behind the thumb strike and, coupled with the incoming momentum of the attacker, the strike drives the attacker’s head backward and takes his balance (Figure 5-22, Step 3).

The defender turns his body with the momentum of the weapon’s attack to strip the weapon from the attacker’s grip (Figure 5-22, Step 4).

(4) Unarmed defense against No. 4 angle of attack. The attack is a horizontal slash along the No. 4 angle of attack (Figure 5-23, Step 1).

The defender moves into the outside of the attacker (Figure 5-23, Step 2).

He then turns with the attack, delivering an elbow strike to the throat (Figure 5-23, Step 3). At the same time, the defender’s free hand controls the weapon and pulls it from the attacker as he is knocked off balance from the elbow strike.

(5) Unarmed defense against low No. 5 angle of attack. The attacker thrusts the bayonet at the stomach of the defender (Figure 5-24, Step 1).

The defender shifts his body to the side to avoid the attack and to gouge the eyes of the attacker (Figure 5-24, Step 2).

The defender’s free hand maintains control of and strips the weapon from the attacker as he is driven backward with the eye gouge (Figure 5-24, Step 3).

(6) Unarmed defense against high No. 5 angle of attack. The attacker delivers a thrust to the throat of the defender (Figure 5-25, Step 1).

The defender then shifts to the side to avoid the attack, parries the thrust, and controls the weapon with his trail hand (Figure 5-25, Step 2).

He then shifts his entire body mass forward over the lead foot, slamming a forearm strike into the attacker’s throat (Figure 5-25, Step 3).

(7) Unarmed defense against No 6 angle of attack. The attacker delivers a downward stroke along the No. 6 angle of attack (Figure 5-26, Step 1).

The defender shifts to the outside to get off the line of attack and he grabs the weapon. Then, he pulls the attacker off balance by causing him to overextend himself (Figure 2-26, Step 2).

The defender shifts his weight backward and causes the attacker to fall, as he strips the weapon from him (Figure 5-26, Step 3).

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